As with DECCA, this is such a major label, that we are splitting it into two. This is the main page then we have LONDON SLEEVES and CENTRES (LINKED) as a separate article.

London-American has been the most collectable British label for decades. Well-documented? An understatement. The two-volume David M. McKee work is definitive and far beyond my scope. The Paul Pelletier Complete Singles Catalogue is harder to find, but he contributed to the larger volume. The research is impeccable.

Then check out what Ace records did on London from 1956-1967. These tracks also taken from the very best possible sources and form an essential CD collection. Around 28 tracks each. Even of the sleeves are carefully curated to match the era, with demos as well. Thorough and detailed sleeve notes. Sorry vinyl fans, they’re CD only, but you can track down original 45s instead. Every volume is wonderful, and they cannily started in 1956 and finished (so far) in 1967.

If 336 tracks isn’t enough for you, then the other CD set from One Day Music (circa 2011) are all double disc sets at 50 tracks each and cheaper, but Ace’s selection is well into the post-1962 copyright era. These One Day Music sets are “pre-copyright” collections so run 1956 to 1962 with extra discs of EPs and Rarities.

A warning story. There are collectors who seek to collect an entire label and twenty years ago, serious secondhand shops often stored 45s by label. This would be one of the hardest labels of all for a completist. About 15 years ago, a record store owner was excited having bought in the collection of a London-American completist. Boxes of it. Hundreds of 45s. There was some incredible stuff in there that flew off the shelf. A year later, he still had a lot left. We looked through them, ‘They’re not all classic rock and soul, are they?’ he said ruefully. Looking at what’s left, it was largely unsellable. He had the complete singles and EPs of Pat Boone (see below), London’s most popular artist. It was a big label. Maybe there were more great 45s than any other label … but there was a lot of dross too.

Remember also, that London in the UK was a licensing label. No one was signed directly to London. Very little indeed was originated by London.

History

In 1934, Decca had formed an American branch to distribute its records in the USA. It was sold off during the war, and US Decca became an independent company. This is not unusual. Decca needed the money to develop its ffrr system and radar, and funds were extremely short. Britain’s war and recovery debt to the USA was not paid off until 2006.

London listing for July 1950, as sent to record retailers

British Decca having lost its own name for use within the USA and Canada, started London in 1947 to distribute its British Decca records in North America. The name made sense, and such was Decca’s quality reputation, that many of the records sold in America were export pressings, with “Made in England” prominently on the centre labels. Quite a few stayed in Britain, and are distinguished by blue centre labels instead of black, and the catalogue numbers are (e.g.) 45-1521. (There is no “H’ reference).

Take It’s A Big Wide Wonderful World Out There, by The Unitones. They were a predecessor to the George Mitchell (Black and White) Minstrels, and appeared in the film Three Ring Circus.  The British version is on Decca. The London disc says Made in England. The sleeve gives a US address: The London Gramophone Corp, New York, NY, but in tiny print it says “Record and container made in England.”

London had a name for innovation in the USA, following Columbia rapidly with its 33 1/3 rpm LPs and RCA with its 45 rpm singles. It also had a name for high fidelity, based on Decca’s “ffrr” full-frequency range recording process. U.S. London distributed smaller labels and found foreign distributors for U.S. companies. Decca’s straight-laced stiff upper lip British image appealed to American companies, when so many of the local labels had dubious associates who might leave the odd horse’s head in your bed. Decca was obviously (or thought to be) “reputable” and had a name for fair dealing.

London as a UK label

In 1949, Decca launched the London label in Britain with mainly American recordings. London was also used for other non-British recordings.

London rode heavily on the sound quality label, even on 78s, where it’s harder to see how they would benefit. Look at the size of that ffrr:

The trouble with 78s is that people rarely matched the sleeves. A large proportion of London 78s were released in plain buff sleeves too. Billy Vaughan’s The Shifting Whispering Sands from 1956 has the then “new” London-American centre, but what I think is the older sleeve. I think this pressing is later than 1956.

In 1954, all records were released as 78s, with a selected number also released as 45s.
From January 1955, all titles were released as 78s and 45. The last 78 was Rocking Goose by Johnny & The Hurricanes in 1960.

Both ways across the Atlantic

London sourced the master tapes, and Decca had the superior ffrr pressing system. The quality image carries over to American London releases.  

From the advent of stereo, London (USA) sourced their vinyl LP pressings in Britain, and placed them in American printed sleeves … and some came back to the UK like that, or rather they imported the sleeves back … the savings on a long production run would far outweigh the transport cost.

Piano Concerto No. 5: Beethoven: Clifford Curzon, piano, Vienna Philharmonic 1958 American printed sleeve with British pressing LP inside

The example is The Emperor Concerto (Beethoven’s 5^th Piano Concerto) by Clifford Curzon with the Vienna Philharmonic. It’s an early stereo release. I used to assume classical LPs were worthless, until a specialist dealer explained that early stereo Decca / London and EMI pressings ARE highly collectible.The illustrated Beethoven cost me 50p, because I wanted to scan the stereo logos, and it’s excellent to near mint inside. I looked online to check the date, and the last copy (at time of writing) fetched $90, with another earlier sale at £38.

At a point in the early 60s, Decca decided to use the Decca brand on most classical releases.

Play Bach Vol. 3: Jacques Loussier Trio, 1962. American LP in US printed sleeve, but LP itself pressed in England.

The prestige Jacques Loussier Play Bach series, which was highly rated in the early 60s as the height of cool easy listening jazz, announced London ffrr loud and clear and still pressed the discs in England to put in American sleeves for the USA. Loussier was all over the place with his series … Decca, London-Globe.

EPs for illustration

EPs are a good way of illustrating this article, outselling LPs for the cash-strapped British buyer, as with the Decca label.

The first London EPs were released in November 1954, though REP1003-REP1011 came out a few weeks ahead of REP1001 and 1002, which were Woody Herman’s Herd From Mars album split across two EPs. There was an identity crisis as REP 1001 and 1002, both have London sleeves, but Decca centre labels in the first release.

Later copies had London labels, but this Volume 1 sleeve has the printing date 11.54 on the rear. Why? Perhaps they were exporting these early discs to jazz markets in Europe, where the London name was not used, with local sleeves. Perhaps it was just a screw-up, which is why REP1003 to REP 1011 were released earlier. By May 1955 the discs were still being pressed, but they have changed the font on the overprinting and have proper London labels.

Herd From Mars: Woody Herman & The Third Herd, Volumes 1 and 2. REP 1001 and 1002

The Top US labels distributed by London

Based on number of hit records

JAMIE were all Duane Eddy. MONUMENT were all RoyOrbison. These are the American labels. US collectors are less interested in paper sleeves, so they are harder to research and some may be wrong. Some are replica sleeves, some are facsimile reissues. More US records came in plain sleeves than UK ones. The copy of Unchained Melody is my original Canadian 45. I used to send my cousin in Toronto Cliff Richard 45s, and she would send me Canadian hits. I know this one came in a plain white sleeve, not a Philles company sleeve. There are many Liberty sleeves, but I found this record in this sleeve. If it were the UK, I would know!

.

US Label licensed to London	number of UK Top 30 hits
Dot	36
Imperial	32
Liberty / Dolton	25
Atlantic / ATCO / Volt / Stax	24
Cadence	17
Monument	15
Specialty / Big Top	14
Jamie	13
Philles	11
KAPP, Leader, Congress	9
Sun / Philips Int.	8

London-American didn’t suit everyone, especially as Pye started to give American labels like Cameo-Parkway and Hickory their own label identity. By the 1960s, the bigger American labels wanted their own imprints. Sir Edward Lewis, the head of Decca, stood out against this, and while Atlantic, Monument, Dot (and briefly Kapp) got bigger logos and eventually logos on the front of EPs and LPs, companies who really wanted their own label found Pye, Philips and EMI more accommodating. That’s how London lost Liberty to EMI, who gave it a separate identity. The logos of the US labels got larger on the sleeve, and on the front sleeve too.

First London-Atlantic got their own hyphenated name (1960), followed by London-Monument (1963) and London-Dot and London-Kapp.

Atlantic, and much later Monument, then got their own labels, distributed by Decca. Dot jumped ship to the Pye group to get its own full unhyphenated label. For the smaller American labels, Pye International and Stateside had been formed specifically to compete with London. London had them content with sub-labels on the LP and EP sleeves.

Early artists included Slim Whitman, Jim Reeves and The Hilltoppers, and Andy Williams, although nestling in the list were blues singers from Cadence such as John Lee Hooker in 1954 and Fats Domino from Imperial. It adopted the double-barrelled London-American in 1958. London’s interest value is indicated by the collectability of Andy Williams’ early London work, compared to the lack of collector interest in his later CBS releases.

London has long been the collectors favourite with old singles commanding the highest average prices. This has an international dimension, as most London pressings are thought better than the US originals from the late fifties. George Martin thought otherwise and said he couldn’t get the volume and presence of American discs from English pressing plants. That was EMI and the consensus favours the London (so Decca) pressings of US discs.

With London lists below, the original US label is noted.

London Jazz

New Orleans Horns: 10″ London “Origins of Jazz” LP, 1956

Tony Almerico’s Dixieland Jamboree All-Stars, (EP). The third London EP, REP 1019, February 1955 pressing. Dot was the US label.

Jazz was the young person’s music in the first half of the 50s, with interest in the roots in the UK … i.e. New Orleans.

Historically Speaking- The Duke Pt 1 (EP): Duke Ellington 1956 London American Jazz
Ruby Braff Swings (EP): Ruby Braff 1956 London American Jazz Series

They put Jazz Series on the labels too. London was not involved with the trad jazz US labels. Because of length, jazz lends itself to EPs rather than singles with virtually every UK label. Ruby Braff and Duke Ellington EPs were from the US Bethlehem label.

Early and non-rock London

No, it wasn’t all collectable. The Mulcays were an electric harmonica band. It boasts of being London’s second EP, so the numbering system is inexplicable.

Merry Christmas (EP): The Mulcays REP 1016, November 1954 pressing. First London EP design

Dot supplied enough of London’s material to have its own “hits” EPs.

Pat Boone has two in the rock section, as white-bread covers of black hit records. He was astonishingly successful from 1957 to 1962 and the keen London collector will seize on the label hoping for something great and find a Pat Boone 45 in their hand.

London Hits No 4 (EP). #1130, Volumes 1, 3 and 4 arev Dot recordings June 1958. Volume 2 is from Imperial (and more interesting).

De Castro Sisters	Teach Me Tonight	Abbott	1954	20
Ferko String Band	Alabama Jubilee	Media	1955	20
Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra	The Shifting Whispering Sands	Dot	1956	20
Pat Boone	I’ll Be Home	Dot	1956	1
Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra	Theme From A Threepenny Opera	Dot	1956	12
The Hilltoppers	Only You	Dot	1956	3
Pat Boone	I Almost Lost My Mind	Dot	1956	14
Patience & Prudence	Tonight You Belong To Me	Liberty	1956	28
Pat Boone	Friendly Persuasion	Dot	1956	3
Pat Boone	Don’t Forbid Me	Dot	1957	2
Pat Boone	Why Baby Why	Dot	1957	17
Patience & Prudence	Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now	Liberty	1957	22
Pat Boone	Love Letters In The Sand	Dot	1957	2
Julie London	Cry Me A River	Liberty	1957	22
Pat Boone	Remember You’re Mine	Dot	1957	5
Andy Williams	I Like Your Kind of Love	Cadence	1957	16
Pat Boone	April Love	Dot	1957	7
Pat Boone	White Christmas	Dot	1957	29
Pat Boone	A Wonderful Time Up There	Dot	1958	2
Pat Boone	It’s Too Soon To Know	Dot	1958	7
Pat Boone	Sugar Moon	Dot	1958	6
Pat Boone	If Dreams Came True	Dot	1958	16
Pat Boone	I’ll Remember Tonight	Dot	1959	18
Pat Boone	With The Wind and Rain In Your Hair	Dot	1959	21
Pat Boone	For A Penny	Dot	1959	19
Pat Boone	Twixt Twelve & Twenty	Dot	1959	10
Pat Boone	Moody River	Dot	1961	18
Pat Boone	Johnny Will	Dot	1961	4
Pat Boone	Speedy Gonzales	Dot	1962	2
Pat Boone	The Main Attraction	Dot	1962	12

A Smile & A Song (EP): Patience & Prudence 1957 #1087
Big Hits No. 2: Andy Williams 1957 #1102

Pat Boone

The thing about Pat Boone is when you look in detail at those EPs note the Part one / Part two / Part three. There are often three with one design, taken from an LP. Then we’ve still got the film soundtrack EPs. These are not all. I bought Speedy Gonzales new. I admit it. I also was very fond of April Love, and my sister borrowed a copy. If you look at Discogs, it shows London releases in most of Europe in multiple quantities too. I really have no idea what his secret was.

Julie London

Julie London is collectable, aided by her sultry LP sleeves. Is she a torch singer, a jazz singer, or a Middle of The Road / Easy Listening singer? Does it matter? Her version of Cry Me A River was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, not that its rock.

EPs

Julie Sings Film Songs (EP): Julie London #1076 May 1957 (late 1958 pressing)
Make Love To Me Pt. 3 (EP): Julie London 1958 #1153

LPs

Julie London appealed to the older hi-fi market, therefore LPs dominate, not singles or EPs … Cry Me A River was her only singles chart hit.

Calendar Girl (LP): Julie London, 1956. This is my copy, which is an original American LP on Liberty, but the UK London cover is the same except that the London logo replaces the Liberty logo (but none have the gatefold opened out online).

London – the doo-wop label

The Hi Lo’s were a vocal quartet with harmonies like The Kings Singers or Manhatten Transfer, so not really “doo-wop” which is more exciting. ‘Barbershop’ is more accurate.

D00-wop is highly collectable in the USA, much less so in the UK.

The Crests	Sixteen Candles	Coed	1958	–
The Fiestas	So Fine	Old Town	1958	–
The Teddy Bears	To Know Him Is To Love Him	Dore	1958	2
The Fleetwoods	Come Softly To Me	Liberty	1959	6
Dion & The Belmonts	Teenager in Love	Laurie	1959	28

London – the  country label

London EPs indicate a certain penny-pinching nature at Decca … they went for sets of EPs using the same basic design and photos, but perhaps they had less access to fresh photos in that era. The very early EPs came in different colours on the same base design … a fanatic collector will want them all. For example, in November 1954 Slim Whitman & His Singing Guitar came in six different colours (three with music stand, three with drum kit design), with two more in a variant design.

Slim Whitman EPs

Slim Whitman & His Singing Guitar (EP): REP 1006. December 1954. March 1955 pressing. Comes in six different colours. Gold tri ffrr centre.
Song of The Wild (EP): Slim Whitman 1955 #1042
Slim Whitman and His Singing Guitar Vol 2 Pt 1: #1064, October 1956 pressing
Slim Whitman and His Singing Guitar Vol 2 Pt 2:
Slim Whitman and His Singing Guitar Vol 2 Pt 3:

Slim Whitman	Indian Love Call	Imperial	1952 (78) 1954 (45)	7
Jim Reeves	Bimbo	Abbott	1954	–
Jim Reeves	Mexican Joe	Abbott	1954	–
Slim Whitman	Rose Marie	Imperial	1955	1
The Hilltoppers	Only You	Dot	1956	3
Slim Whitman	Tumblin’ Tumbleweeds	Imperial	1956	19
Slim Whitman	I’m A Fool	Imperial	1956	16
Slim Whitman	Serenade	Imperial	1956	8
Bill Hayes	The Ballad of Davy Crockett	Cadence	1956	2
Johnny Cash	I Walk The Line	Sun	1957	–
Slim Whitman	I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen	Imperial	1957	7
George Hamilton IV	A Rose & A Candy Bar	ABC	1957	–
Charlie Gracie	Wandering Eyes	Cameo	1957	6
Billy Grammer	Gotta Travel On	Monument	1958	–
Gene Autrey	Nine Little Reindeer (reissue)	Republic	1959	–
Ray Peterson	Corinne Corinna	Dunes	1961	41
Charlie Rich	Just A Little Bit Sweet	Phillips Int.	1962	–
Johnny Tillotson	It Keeps Right On A Hurtin’	Cadence	1962	31
Johnny Tillotson	Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On	Cadence	1962	21
Wink Martindale	Deck of Cards (3rd re-entry)	Dot	1963	5
Ned Miller	From A Jack To A King (reissue)	Fabor	1963	2

Johnny Cash – Sun recordings

Johnny Cash (EP): Johnny Cash 1958, (still in print in 1964) RE-S 1120
Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams (EP): Johnny Cash 1959 RE-S 1193
Country Boy (EP): Johnny Cash 1959 RE-S 1212

London – the Novelty label + Children’s

This shellac 78 is ‘Made in Canada’ though I found it in the UK. The “Liberty” is prominent.

Bill Hayes	The Ballad of Davy Crockett	Cadence	1956	2
Alfi & Harry (David Seville)	The Trouble With Harry	Liberty	1956	15
Nervous Norvus	Ape Call	Dot	1956	–
David Seville	Witch Doctor	Liberty	1958	11
The Chipmunks with the music of David Seville	The Chipmunk Song	Liberty	1958	–
The Chipmunks with the music of David Seville	Ragtime Cowboy Joe	Liberty	1959	11
Tom Glazer & The Do-Re-Mi Chorus	On Top of Spaghetti	Kapp	1963	–
Tom Glazer & The Do-Re-Mi Chorus	It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad World	Kapp	1963	–

Much as I admire Tom M. McKee’s research on London, I will take issue with him on On Top of Spaghetti.

“Another dreadful disc. Tom Glazer and the awful children’s choir murder Old Smokie and Battle Hymn of The Republic. Not funny in the slightest. A no 14 US hit -say no more.’

For a book that assiduously notes US chart positions, it seems strange to diss Tom Glazer, or rather the American record buyer, for getting to No. 14. On the subsequent release he adds “I want to throw up. Do not buy this record.”

On Top Of Spaghetti over the years may be my most played London track. I put it on cassette, then CDR then iPod for the Kids Playlist I keep in the car. Our three year old grandson is the tenth of our offspring to love it, and all my grandkids sing along whenever it’s on. File with Robin Hood by Dick James as one of the greatest children’s records ever.

London – the rock & roll label

London happened to distribute the lion’s share of early rock and roll, though they famously passed on releasing Good Rocking Tonight when Sun Records of Memphis submitted the second single by Elvis Presley. And they only released four Motown records. However, from 1956 to 1962, more important American singles were released on London than all the other labels combined. Rock and Roll artists range from Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, Johnny and The Hurricanes, The Drifters and The Coasters.

Live It Up!: Bill Haley & His Comets, London 10″ LP, 1955

Bill Haley’s Rock The Joint was a 1952 sanitised version of Jimmy Preston’s 1949 record, which is one of the several claimants to the “first rock ‘n’ roll record” title. Haley tried to countrify it with dance references to ‘The Sugarfoot Rag’ and ‘The Virginia Reel.’ It was issued as ‘Bill Haley & The Saddlemen’ and sold well, featuring slapped bass replacing drums, and the guitar lick later used in Rock Around The Clock.

When rock ‘n’ roll became huge in 1955, the rest of Bill Haley’s work was on Brunswick, which was also part of the Decca group. Haley re-recorded it for US Decca, who released as Brunswick in the UK. The London version is apparently the older one and was issued in 1955 (HLF 8371) but it was the February 1957 repress that charted.

Left: the 1955 45 rpm release with the older London label design
Right: the 1957 78 rpm release with the later London-Ameican label

They pulled out two EPs from the LP in 1956:

Argue the line between rock ‘n’ roll and R&B. Several could be either.

This material highlights the importance of EPs in the UK market. During their licensing with Sun, London issued seven Jerry Lee Lewis LPs but only two LPs. They knew the teen audience would prefer to buy an LP in instalments, an EP’s worth at a time.

Jerry Lee Lewis (LP) London, 1959

Got a cover picture? Milk it. Do you detect a pattern in London’s design choices?

Jerry Lee Lewis EPs 1-6 1958 to 1963, one per year … 1958, 59, 60 in top row. 61, 62, 63 below.

The consensus is that rock artists are falling in value. But a 1998 Record Collector prices the six Jerry Lee Lewis at £15 to £20 mint. The 2024 Rare Record Guide doubles that to £20 to £40,

Little Richard & His Band: EPs, Volume 1 to Volume 3

C’Mon Everybody (EP): Eddie Cochran May 1959
Look at the four tracks. Two of the best ten ever rock tracks and the other two are also important.

Somethin’ Else: EddieCochran, May 1960
The title track is a third one of the ten best ever rock tracks.

Fats Domino	Ain’t That A Shame	Imperial	1955	23
Pat Boone	Ain’t That A Shame (cover)	Dot	1955	7
Pat Boone	I’ll Be Home / Tutti Frutti	Dot	1956	1
Jim Lowe	The Green Door	Dot	1956	8
Bobby Charles	See You Later Alligator	Chess	1956	–
Carl Perkins	Blue Suede Shoes	Sun	1956	10
Fats Domino	Blueberry Hill	Imperial	1956	6
Sanford Clark	The Fool	Dot	1956	–
Little Richard	Rip It Up / Ready Teddy	Specialty	1956	30
Carl Perkins	Honey Don’t	Sun	1956	–
Jerry Lee Lewis	Whole Lot of Shakin’ Goin’ On	Sun	1957	8
Billy Haley & His Comets	Rock The Joint	Essex	1957	20
Little Richard	The Girl Can’t Help It	Speciality	1957	9
Little Richard	Jenny, Jenny	Specialty	1957	11
Larry Williams	Short Fat Fanny	Specialty	1957	21
Eddie Cochran	Twenty Flight Rock	Liberty	1957	–
Fats Domino	I’m Walkin’	Imperial	1957	19
Little Richard	Long Tall Sally	Speciality	1957	3
Larry Williams	Bony Moronie	Speciality	1958	11
Little Richard	Good Golly Miss Molly	Specialty	1958	8
Jerry Lee Lewis	Breathless	Sun	1958	8
Fats Domino	Sick ‘n’ Tired	Imperial	1958	26
Jerry Lee Lewis	Great Balls of Fire	Sun	1958	1
Chuck Berry	Sweet Little Sixteen	Chess	1958	16
Bobby Day	Rockin’ Robin	Class	1958	29
Eddie Cochran	Summertime Blues	Liberty	1958	18
Little Richard	Baby Face	Specialty	1958	2
Ritchie Valens	Donna	Del-Fi	1959	29
Eddie Cochran	C’mon Everybody	Liberty	1959	6
Frankie Ford	Sea Cruise	Ace	1959	–
Eddie Cochran	Three Steps To Heaven	Liberty	1960	1
Jerry Lee Lewis	What’d I Say	Sun	1961	10
Danny Peppermint	The Peppermint Twist	Carlton	1961	26
Eddie Cochran	Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie	Liberty	1961	31
Ritchie Valens	La Bamba	Del-Fi	1962	–
Mel Tormé	Comin’ Home Baby	Atlantic	1963	13

There has been a shift in interest from rock and roll to rare soul and psychedelia which means London prices have climbed more slowly (or stood still) in the 2000s than previously. Several London rock and roll records have a lower price in the Rare Record Guide 2024 edition than Rare Record Guide 2012 which is lower than in the 2010 edition, which is lower than the 2008 edition. Whatever, at the top end, many London singles have three-figure mint values, and the factor driving prices is where a cover version, British or American, vastly outsold an original. So right at the top of the tree you find Bobby Charles’ original single of See You Later Alligator at £2500 mint. Bill Haley sold tons of the things, the Bobby Charles original sank without trace.

How collectable is London? Look at the Patience & Prudence EP, by the daughters of Hollywood film musician Mark MacIntyre. Even this is valued at £40 mint.

London – the R&B label

Like Decca, London used base designs, so that the same record would be pressed on various colour templates and the specifc information was overprinted. Here are three pressings of Fats Dominos Blues For Love (REP 1022)on EP. The EP was first issued in February 1955.

Blues for Love (EP): Fats Domino REP1022 February 1955 pressing gold tri centre
Blues for Love (EP): Fats Domino REP1022 February 1957 gold tri-centre
Blues for Love (EP): Fats Domino REP1022 April 1957 silver tri-centre

The Queen of Rhythm & Blues (EP): Ruth Brown RE-E 1038 1956
Ernie Freeman Volume 2 (EP): Ernie Freeman 1958 RE-P 1210
Here Comes Fats Vol. 3 (EP): Fats Domino 1958 Original logo RE-P 1138
Be My Guest (EP): Fats Domino 1960 Rectangular logo RE-P 1261

It’s not the hits, it’s the existence of seminal classics. I’m told the price of classic rock 45s on London is plummeting. The R&B and soul area might be doing better. A London copy of Barrett Strong’s Money lists at £80 mint in Rare Record Guide 2024. In February 2023 a copy at Reading Record Fair was £150, and it was far from mint too. That’s highly ambitious given that Discogs highest sale as £88.00. Copies were on sale at £29 to £95, at VG+. Three were ‘dinked’ – the centre pushed out, which suggests time on a juke box.

John Lee Hooker	Need Somebody	Modern	1954	–
Chuck Willis	C.C. Rider	Atlantic	1956	–
Chuck Berry	Downbound Train / No Money Down	Chess	1956	–
Willie Dixon & All Stars	Walkin’ The Blues	Checker	1956	–
Sam Cooke	You Send Me	Keen	1957	29
Chuck Berry	You Can’t Catch Me	Chess	1957	–
Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry	Ain’t Got No Home	Argo	1957	–
Jimmy McCracklin	The Walk	Chess	1958	–
Chuck Berry	Johnny B. Goode / Around & Around	Chess	1958	–
Chuck Willis	What Am I Living For?	Atlantic	1958	–
Chuck Berry	Carol	Chess	1958	–
Bobby Freeman	Do You want to Dance?	Josie	1958	–
The Coasters	Charlie Brown	ATCO	1959	6
Chuck Berry	Almost Grown / Little Queenie	Chess	1959	–
Ray Charles	What’d I Say	Atlantic	1959	–
Barrett Strong	Money	Anna	1960	–
Bo Diddley	Road Runner	Checker	1960	–
Little Walter	My Babe	Checker	1960	–
The Miracles	Shop Around	Tamla	1961	–
Ernie K-Doe	Mother-in-Law	Minit	1961	–
Chris Kenner	I Like It Like That	Instant	1961	–
Arthur Alexander	You Better Move On / Shot of Rhythm & Blues	Dot	1962	–
Arthur Alexander	Anna	Dot	1962	–
Tommy Tucker	Oh! What A Feelling	UK only	1964	–
Martha Velez	Tell Mama	Sire	1969	–

Tommy Tucker’s Oh! What A Feeling was no doubt designed to cash in on the success of Hi Heel Sneakers and Long Tall Shorty (both Pye International), and is a London oddity because it had never been released in the USA so is a UK only release. It’s crdited as a Herb Abrasom production. Rare Record Guide 2024 rates it at £40 mint, making it his most valuable single. That’s the way it goes.

Open The Door To Your Heart

At the very peak of collectable soul singles is Darrell Banks Open The Door To Your Heart. (HL 10070, August 1966). It was from the US Revilot label. A London Demo was made, and then Donnie Elbert claimed it had been stolen from him. Decca decided not to enter the battle, and cancelled the release, whereupon EMI’s Stateside took it.

The London demos are rated at £1000 mint (Highest Discogs sale is £456, which won’t be mint), but according to Rare Record Guide 2024 there was just a single stock copy, which is rated at £12,000. It was revealed in 2014 when the owner posted scans online. In 2014 it was valued “conservatively” at £10,000.

“Soul collectors are especially intense. Darrell Banks’s mid-tempo classic Open the Door to Your Heart has been a club classic ever since it came out in Britain on the Stateside label in 1966. What has always raised the pulse of collectors is the knowledge that the single was due to be be released on the London label – which had introduced British kids to many a rock’n’roll and early soul gem – before the release was pulled because the label didn’t own the rights to it.This is the holy grail,” says collector, dealer and Wolves fan Pete Smith. “Nobody thought it existed.” It seems to have originally belonged to someone who worked at the pressing plant. Smith surmises that “this guy must have half-inched one from the factory the day it was pressed, gone back to work the next day and found out they’d trashed the lot.” London presumably melted down the copies they’d pressed before the single came out on Stateside a few weeks later. Just the one copy snuck out. “
Bob Stanley, The Guardian 27 June 2024

Even the first press demo on Stateside is rated at £200 (later copies are rated at £20 mint). An American original on Revilot would be £10. Decca / London used to dump old stock on a landfill site at the end of Poole Harbour, rather than melting them down. Local legend tells of people checking the skips before they were tipped. Perhaps it’s time to get digging carefully… with a shovel.

London – the pop label

London were still at the top as straight rock became pop, with Pat Boone, The Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Duane Eddy, Bobby Darin, Bobby Vee, Rick Nelson and Del Shannon.

They’re still cheap on the EP cover designs. The Everly Brothers photo that graces six EPs shows Don Everly with half closed unfocussed eyes. Not a great shot, but they used it six times.

Songs Our Daddy Taught Us Parts 1 to 3 (May 1959) are the normal UK practice of slicing a 12 track LP into three 4 track EPs.

Bobby Darin

Bobby Darin EPs show the relationship with Atlantic. Darin recorded for their poppier (whiter?) label ATCO. The ATCO logo appears, then London-American Atlantic then LONDON ATLANTIC as a brand, without American in between.

It’s tempting to assume Atlantic got the first prominent sub-label because of their early soul material, but it was most likely Bobby Darin’s sales as he went from rock ‘n’ roller (Queen ofThe Hop, Splish Splash) to being the New Sinatra(Mack The Knife, Baby Face) then to pop singer with Things and Multiplication, with excursions to R&B on B-sides like Jailer, Bring Me Water. London / London-American / London Atlantic missed out on his incarnations as an R&B singer on Earthy, or a Country & Western singer then Folkie because after Things he was off to EMI and the Capitol label.

Tab Hunter	Ninety-Nine Ways	Dot	1957	5
Everly Brothers	Bye Bye Love	Cadence	1957	6
Tab Hunter	Young Love	Dot	1957	1
Everly Brothers	Wake Up Little Susie	Cadence	1957	2
Andy Williams	Butterfly	Cadence	1957	1
Everly Brothers	All I Have To Do Is Dream / Claudette	Cadence	1958	1
Ricky Nelson	Poor Little Fool	Imperial	1958	4
Jane Morgan	The Day The Rains Came	Kapp	1958	1
Ricky Nelson	Someday	Imperial	1958	9
Bobby Darin	Splish Splash	ATCO	1958	18
Everly Brothers	Bird Dog	Cadence	1958	2
Bobby Darin	Queen of The Hop	ATCO	1959	24
Everly Brothers	Problems	Cadence	1959	6
Everly Brothers	Take A Message To Mary	Cadence	1959	20
Bobby Darin	Dream Lover	ATCO	1959	1
Everly Brothers	Poor Jenny	Cadence	1959	14
Jerry Keller	Here Comes Summer	Kapp	1959	1
Ricky Nelson	It’s Late	Imperial	1959	3
Bobby Darin	Mack The Knife	ATCO	1959	1
Everly Brothers	Til I Kissed You	Cadence	1959	2
Bobby Darin	La Mer (Beyond The Sea)	ATCO	1960	8
Bobby Darin	Clementine	ATCO	1960	8
Roy Orbison	Only the Lonely	Monument	1960	1
Everly Brothers	Let It Be Me	Cadence	1960	13
Johnny Burnette	Dreamin’	Liberty	1960	5
Johnny Tillotson	Poetry in Motion	Cadence	1960	1
Roy Orbison	Blue Angel	Monument	1960	11
Everly Brothers	Like Strangers	Cadence	1960	11
Johnny Burnette	You’re Sixteen	Liberty	1960	3
Lee Hazlewood with Duane Eddy	The Girl on Death Row / Words Mean Nothing	Jamie	1960	–
Ricky Nelson	Hello Mary Lou	Imperial	1961	2
Bobby Darin	Lazy River	ATCO	1961	2
Bobby Vee	More Than I Can Say	Liberty	1961	4
Del Shannon	Runaway	Big Top	1961	1
Bobby Darin	Nature Boy	ATCO	1961	24
Roy Orbison	Runnin’ Scared	Monument	1961	9
Bobby Darin	You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby	ATCO	1961	10
Bobby Vee	Take Good Care of My Baby	Liberty	1961	3
Roy Orbison	Cryin’	Monument	1961	25
Del Shannon	Hats Off To Larry	Big Top	1961	6
Bobby Darin	Multiplication	ATCO	1961	5
Gene McDaniels	Tower of Strength	Liberty	1961	49
Del Shannon	So Long Baby	Big Top	1961	10
Roy Orbison	Dream Baby	Monument	1962	2
Del Shannon	Hey Little Girl	Big Top	1962	2
Ernie Maresca	Shout Shout (Knock Yourself Out)	Seville	1962
Ricky Nelson	Teenage Idol	Imperial	1962	39
Bobby Darin	Things	ATCO	1962	2
Eddie Hodges	Girls, Girls, Girls (Were Made To Love)	Cadence	1962	37
Chris Montez	Let’s Dance	Monogram	1962	2
Del Shannon	The Swiss Maid	Big Top	1962	2
Bobby Boris Pickett & The Crypt Kickers	Monster Mash	Carpax	1962	–
Chris Montez	Some Kinda Fun	Monogram	1963	10
Del Shannon	Little Town Flirt	Big Top	1963	4
Roy Orbison	In Dreams	Monument	1963	8
Roy Orbison	Falling	Monument	1963	9
Roy Orbison	Blue Bayou	Monument	1963	3
Nino Tempo & April Stevens	Deep Purple	ATCO	1963	17
Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs	Sugar Shack	Dot	1963	45
Roy Orbison	Borne On The Wind	Monument	1964	15
Roy Orbison	It’s Over	Monument	1964	1
Roy Orbison	Oh, Pretty Woman	Monument	1964	1
Roy Orbison	Pretty Paper	Monument	1964	6
Louis Armstrong	Hello Dolly	Kapp	1964	4
Roy Orbison	Goodnight	Monument	1965	14
Roy Orbison	(Say) You’re My Girl	Monument	1965	23
Roy Orbison	Ride Away	Monument	1965	34
Roy Orbison	Crawling Back	Monument	1965	19
Burt Bacharach	Trains, Boats & Planes	Kapp	1965	4
Roy Orbison	Breaking Up Is Breaking My Heart	Monument	1966	22
Roy Orbison	Twinkle Toes	Monument	1966	29
Roy Orbison	Lana	Monument	1966	15
Roy Orbison	Too Soon To Know	Monument	1966	3
Roy Orbison	There Won’t Be Many Coming Home	Monument	1966	12
Roy Orbison	So Good	Monument	1967	32
Roy Orbison	Walk On	Monument	1968	39
Roy Orbison	Heartache	Monument	1969	44
Roy Orbison	My Friend	Monument	1969	35
Roy Orbison	Penny Arcade	Monument	1969	27
Bobby Boris Pickett & The Crypt Kickers	Monster Mash (reissue)	Parrot (US Decca)	1970	3

What a lot of boys! Garry, Bobby, Johnny, Ritchie, Ricky, Micky, Dicky, Eddie, Ernie, Frankie, Jerry, Jimmy, Billy, Andy, Sandy, Willie, Danny, Donny, Barry, Larry, Harry.

Look For A Star (EP): Garry Miles 1960 rectangular logo RE-G 1264
Little Boy Sad (EP): Johnny Burnette 1961 RE-G 1291
Johnny Tillotson (EP) 1963  RE-A 1345

Bobby Vee

See the BOBBY VEE article on this site

Bobby Vee (EP): 1960 (same as LP sleeve) RE-G 1278
Bobby Vee No. 2 (EP): 1961 RE-G1299
Bobby Vee No 4 (EP): 1962 RE-G 1323

Del Shannon

Perhaps London UK only had the one photograph. Runaway was one of the first EPs I ever bought new.

Runaway with Del Shannon (EP) 1962 RE-K 1332
Del Shannon No.2 (EP) 1962 RE-K 1346
Del’s Own Favourites (EP): Del Shannon 1963 RE-X 1383

Ricky Nelson

Ricky (EP): Ricky Nelson November 1958 RE-P 1141
Ricky Sings Again (EP): Ricky Nelson May 1959 RE- 1201
I Got A Feeling (EP): Ricky Nelson January 1960 RE-P 1238
Ricky Nelson Part 4 (EP): Ricky Nelson November 1961 RE- P 1300
It’s A Young World (EP): Ricky Nelson September 1962 RE-P 1339
It’s Up To You (EP): Ricky Nelson July 1963 RE-P 1362

Roy Orbison EPs

Only The Lonely (EP): Roy Orbison 1960 RE-U 1274
In Dreams (EP): Roy Orbison 1963 RE-U 1373
It’s Over (EP): Roy Orbison 1964, Monument logo to the fore RE-U 1435
Oh, Pretty Woman (EP): Roy Orbison 1964 RE-U 1437
Stage Show Hits (EP): Roy Orbison 1965 RE-U-1439
Love Hurts (EP): Roy Orbison 1965 RE-U 1440

I have an almost complete collection of Roy Orbison 45s. An old friend brought them to me and asked if I could put all the B-sides onto a CD for him. He had bought Greatest Hits compilations, but loved the B-sides equally, and this was around the nadir of vinyl and he had dispensed with his turntable. I did so, and he gave me the lot, all the 45s, well-looked after too. Roy virtually single-handedly kept London-American in the charts after 1965, and it was his success that led to London-Monument becoming a further sub-label.

Roy Orbison LPs

Not all American …

Oddly, for London-American there were some releases from the South African Gallo label, such as Miriam Makeba’s The Click Song / Wimoweh in 1963. I assume that while South African material went on London-Globe, they didn’t do singles, and it was easier just to put them out on London’s main imprint. In America, it was licensed to RCA Victor, but European copies are London, or rather in France London disques.

Close to the middle of the road …

The Magic of Mel (EP): Mel Torme London Atlantic 1962 #1372
62’s Big Hits (EP): Billy Vaughan 1963, #1395, London Dot centre
Four Great Songs from Four Great Shows (EP): Jack Jones 1963 – large colour KAPP logo RE-R 1433

London – the instrumental label

Another Four By The Champs (EP): The Champs 1959 RE-H 1209
Still More By The Champs (EP): The Champs 1959 RE-H 1223

The Lonely One (EP): Duane Eddy 1959 RE-W 1216
Yep!(EP): Duane Eddy  1959 RE-W 1217

Ram-Bunk-Shush! (EP): The Ventures 1960 REG-1288
Another Smash!!! The Ventures 1961 REG 1326

Let There Be Drums (EP): Sandy Nelson 1962 RE-P 1337
Johnny & The Hurricanes Vol. 2 (EP): 1963 RE-X 1414

Because They’re Young (EP): Duane Eddy 1962 RE-W 1272
Twangy No. 2 (EP) Duane Eddy RE-W 1361

Bill Justis & His Orchestra	Raunchy	Phillips Int.	1957	11
Johnny & The Hurricanes	Red River Rock	Big Top	1959	3
Link Wray & The Ray Men	Rumble	Cadence	1958	–
The Champs	Tequila	Challenge	1958	5
Dave ‘Baby’ Cortez	The Happy Organ	Clock	1959	–
Duane Eddy	Forty Miles of Bad Road	Jamie	1959	11
Duane Eddy	Peter Gunn	Jamie	1959	6
Duane Eddy	Shazam!	Jamie	1960	4
The Ventures	Perfidia	Dolton	1960	4
Duane Eddy	Because They’re Young	Jamie	1960	2
Johnny & The Hurricanes	Rockin’ Goose	Big Top	1960	3
Duane Eddy	Pepe	Jamie	1961	2
Ferrante & Teicher	Theme from Exodus	United Artists	1961	6
The Ventures	Ram-Bunk-Shush	Dolton	1961	45
Duane Eddy	Theme From Dixie	Jamie	1961	7
Sandy Nelson	Let There Be Drums	Imperial	1961	3
The Ramrods	Riders In The Sky	Amy	1961	8
The String-A-Longs	Wheels	Warwick	1961	8
The Surfaris	Wipe Out	Dot	1963	5
The Chantays	Pipeline	Dot	1963	19
Boots Randolph	Yakety Sax	Monument	1963	–

The early 60s London LP sleeves I see most often are Roy Orbison and Duane Eddy. Duane’s albums were produced by Lee Hazlewood. Duane Eddy 45s and LPs are noticeably rough and scratched compared to (say) Ricky Nelson. Was it boys trying to learn them on guitar? Certainly, in my youth club days, boys went for Duane Eddy, Ventures, Surfaris, Chantays rather than young male vocalists.

London – the girl singers / girl group label

The Chordettes	Lollipop	Cadence	1958	6
Little Eva	The Locomotion	Dimension	1962	2
Ketty Lester	Love Letters	Era	1962	4
Marcie Blane	Bobby’s Girl	Seville	1962	–
The Cookies	Chains	Dimension	1962	–
Carole King	It Might As Well Rain Until September	Dimension	1962	3
The Crystals	He’s A Rebel	Philles	1962	19
Little Eva	Keep Your Hands Off My Baby	Dimension	1962	30
The Crystals	He’s Sure The Boy I Love	Philles	1963	–
The Crystals	Then He Kissed Me	Philles	1963	2
Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans	Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah	Philles	1963	45
Little Eva	Let’s Turkey Trot	Dimension	1963	15
Shirley Ellis	The Nitty Gritty	Congress	1963	–
Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans	Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Hearts	Philles	1963	–
The Cookies	Don’t Say Nothing Bad About My Baby	Dimension	1963	–
Darlene Love	(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry	Philles	1963	–
The Crystals	Da Doo Ron Ron	Philles	1963	5
The Ronettes	Be My Baby	Philles	1963	4
Ruby & The Romantics	Our Day Will Come	Kapp	1963	38
Darlene Love	Wait Till My Bobby Gets Home	Philles	1963	–
The Crystals	Then He Kissed Me	Philles	1963	2
The Ronettes	Baby I Love You	Philles	1964	11
The Ronettes	(The Best Part of Breaking Up)	Philles	1964	43
The Crystals	All Grown Up	Philles	1964	–
The Crystals	I Wonder	Philles	1964	36
The Ronettes	Do I Love You	Philles	1964	35
Shirley Ellis	The Clapping Song	Congress	1965	6
The Chiffons	Sweet Talking Guy (original hits were on Stateside)	Laurie	1969	4
Sylvia	Pillow Talk	Vibration	1973	14

They distributed the Philles label, which meant the Phil Spector productions of The Crystals, The Ronettes and The Righteous Brothers.

SEE ALSO: RONNIE SPECTOR (linked) on this site for more information on The Ronettes including sleeves.

LPs
Philles, Phil Spector’s label, preferred illustration for Bob-B-Soxx and The Blue Jeans and The Crystals as the groups were mix and match at Spector’s behest. This is all collectible and the LPs all have 2022 reissues too.

London – the  soul label

Shop Around (EP): The Miracles 1961 RE 1295

Seriously collectable, £200 in mint condition. I knew a record shop that had the sleeve on the wall, in great condition. The record was broken and the owner was hoping that a tatty sleeve with a good disc would turn up.

The Drifters (EP): The Drifters 1963 RE-K 1355
R&B with Booker T (EP): Booker T and The MGs 1963, RE-K 1367
The Original Hits (EP): London Atlantic RE-K 1390 1963
Arthur Alexander (EP): 1963 RE-D 1401

Marv Johnson	You’ve Got What It Takes	United Artists (from Motown)	1959	5
Marv Johnson	You’ve Got To Move Two Mountains	United Artists (from Motown)	1960	–
The Drifters	Save The Last Dance For Me	Atlantic	1960	2
Ben E. King	Spanish Harlem	ATCO	1961	–
Ben E. King	Stand By Me (#1 in 1987)	ATCO	1961	27
The Miracles	Shop Around	Tamla	1961	–
The Drifters	Sweets For My Sweet	Atlantic	1961	–
The Miracles	Ain’t It Baby	Tamla	1961	–
Booker T & The MGs	Green Onions	Atlantic	1962	–
Solomon Burke	Down in the Valley	Atlantic	1962	–
The Drifters	Up On The Roof	Atlantic	1962	–
James Brown & The Famous Flames	Prisoner of Love	KIng	1963	–
Booker T & The MGs	Chinese Checkers	Atlantic	1963	–
Rufus Thomas	Walking the Dog	Stax	1963	–
Doris Troy	Just One Look	Atlantic	1963	–
Barbara Lewis	Hello Stranger	Chess	1963	–
Righteous Bros	Little Latin Lupe Lu	Moonglow	1963	–
The Drifters	One Way Love	Atlantic	1964	–
Otis Redding	Come To Me	Volt	1964	–
Otis Redding	Pain In My Heart	Volt	1964	–
James Brown	Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag	King	1965	25
Dobie Gray	The “In” Crowd	Charger	1965	25
Righteous Bros	You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling	Philles	1965	1
Righteous Bros	Unchained Melody	Philles	1965	14
Ike & Tina Turner	River Deep Mountain High	Philles	1966	1
Ike & Tina Turner	A Love Like Yours(Don’t Come Knocking Every Day)	Philles	1966	16
Erma Franklin	Piece of My Heart	Shout	1967	–
Wilson Pickett & The Falcons	Billy The Kid	Atlantic	1967	–
Righteous Bros	You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling (reissue)	Philles	1968	10
Ike & Tina Turner	River Deep Mountain High (reissue)	Philles	1968	33
Donnie Elbert	Where Did Our Love Go	All Platinum	1971	8
Al Green	Let’s Stay Together	Hi	1972	7
Donnie Elbert	A Little Piece of Leather	All Platinum	1972	27
Al Green	I’m Still In Love With You	Hi	1972	35
Ann Peebles	I Can’t Stand The Rain	Hi	1973	41
Al Green	Sha La-La(Make Me Happy)	Hi	1974	20
Al Green	L-O-V-E	Hi	1975	24
Chubby Checker	Let’s Twist again / The Twist (reissue)	ABKCO	1975	5

The Righteous Brothers were on Moonglow, then Philles, both licensed to London in the UK.

London – the  rock label / folk

Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs	Sugar Shack	Dot		1963	–
Sir Douglas Quintet	She’s About A Mover	Tribe		1965	15
Bobby Fuller Four	I Fought The Law	Mustang		1966	33
Judy Collins	I’ll Keep It With Mine	Elektra		1966	–
Love	7 and & Is	Elektra		1966	–
Love	My Little Red Book	Elektra		1966	–
Neil Diamond	Cherry Cherry	Bang		1966	–
The Turtles	Happy Together	Whale		1966	12
The Association	Along Comes Mary	Valiant		1966	–
The Turtles	She’d Rather Be With Me	Whale		1967	4
The Association	Windy	Valiant		1967	–
Van Morrison	Brown-Eyed Girl	Bang		1967	–
Neil Diamond	Red Red Wine	Bang		1968	–
Dion	Abraham, Martin & John	Laurie		1968	–
The Turtles	Elenore	Whale		1968	7
Z.Z. Top	It’s Only Love	London (US)		1976	–

The peak years for London-American hits were 1956 to 1966, with a sharp decline after that. Within that, 1958 to 1961 saw around 240 releases a year, compared to 178 in 1963, 111 in 1964 then down to 73 in 1965. The main label ceased releases in 1981. It was quickly revived with a new imprint, releasing British and foreign artists, but was now another niche label exploiting an old and valued name. See London (post-Decca).

After 1967, it increasingly scored its successes with re-issues of earlier triumphs … some, like Chubby Checker, had not been London originally, but ABKCO had acquired the rights.

Ace started its CD series The London American Label Year By Year with 1960. The breadth of the London catalogue is demonstrated well in 1960. In that year, London-American were releasing five singles a week, a total of 236 in the year. Fifty of these reached the Top 50 chart, which is a success rate of over 20%.

SEE ALSO, the non-US license sub-labels:

London-Calypso, London Ducretet-Thomson, London Globe

SEE ALSO:

London Sleeves and Centres